Though they held the advantage in nearly every statistical category, the Central College football team came up short in the only category that matters – points – in a season-ending 20-17 loss to Wartburg Saturday.  The Dutch had a shot to tie the game at the very end, after a blocked PAT by Jake Peterson kept the Dutch within three.  Central responded by working it’s way into Wartburg territory, but a 47-yard field goal attempt by Jake Viggers was blocked, and the 13th-ranked Knights held on to guarantee themselves at least a share of the Iowa Conference title.

Wartburg drew first blood in the game after they recovered a Nate Snead fumble and returned it to the Central 7-yard line, scoring three plays later.  Central bounced back quickly on a 73-yard bomb from Snead to his brother, Jeremy, to tie the game.  The Dutch defense shut down the Knights on their next drive, and the ensuing Central possession ended in a Viggers field goal to give the Dutch a 10-7 lead.  

The next score came in the second quarter, following another Cental miscue; as a blocked punt was returned by Wartburg to Central’s 3-yard line.  Two plays later, Wartburg’s Reece Thompson punched in his first of two rushing touchdowns on the day to give the Knights a 14-10 lead.  Central got in one more score before the half, as Kyle Wood’s 3-yard scamper capped off an 8-play, 60-yard drive to give the Dutch a 17-14 lead at the half.

The score remained stagnant until late in the fourth quarter, when the Wartburg offense strung together a long drive and scored from five yards out to take a 20-17 lead; and eventually the win.  Central’s Nate Snead finished the day 10-for-30  for 147 yards and a score, while also leading the team in rushing with 86 yards on 22 carries.  Defensive back Ryan Schmidt led the Central defense with 11 tackles.  

The game was the final for 28 players on the Central roster, who finished their career with a 36-8 record in the past four years, including an 8-2 mark in 2010.